We’ve been bringing you 5 new projects from Memphis artists each month but this month, we decided to switch it up a little. To celebrate the holiday season, we’re highlighting a handful of essential Memphis holiday songs to add to your party playlist. Some are classics, some are brand new but all of them are undoubtedly MEMPHIS. Happy holidays WAMM fam <3
Gloss Up ft. K Carbon, Slimeroni, & Aleza – “25 Days of Christmas”
Yea sure, we’ve all heard of the “Twelve days of Christmas” (borrrring am I right?) so it’s about time someone put out a fresh take on the track. Thank god for our first ladies of hip-hop who cooked up something extra Memphis. “25 Days of Christmas” finds Gloss Up, K Carbon, Slimeroni, and Aleza doing what they do best: flawlessly delivering bars about being boss ass bitches. Grab your matching Christmas pajamas and your drink – the party has officially started.
Carla Thomas – “Gee Whiz It’s Christmas”
Is it really the Christmas season without Carla Thomas’ iconic “Gee Whiz It’s Christmas”? The song has all the essential holiday ingredients: cheery, up-tempo production paired with Thomas’ sugary sweet vocals. It’s a seasonal no-brainer, guaranteed to be a favorite across all generations. In fact, if someone *doesn’t* like this song, you might want to double-check your guest list – sounds like the Grinch is at your Christmas dinner.
Swae Lee, Rae Sremmurd & Ear Drummers – “Christmas at Swae’s”
Ok so *technically* Rae Sremmurd are from Tupelo, but for the purpose of this list we’re going to claim them because they put out not 1, but 2 underrated Christmas songs. First up is the piano ballad “Christmas at Swae’s”. It’s a departure from their normally trap-heavy beats and instead features Swae alone on the keys singing about a Christmas love lost. Swae’s melodies are – as usual – on point, further helping to deliver his emotional message. Sure, it’s not the jolliest song, but sometimes we’re in our feelings during the holidays and that’s ok too!
Kendrick P. – “Wish List”
2023 was a huge year for Kendrick P and honestly, 2024 looks like it’ll be even bigger for the Memphis artist. But before he gets ready to close this year out, he gifts us one last musical present in the form of a new Christmas song. “Wish List” is impressively everything we’ve come to know and love from Kendrick: sensual vocals floating over silky smooth synthed out production. With a chorus that goes “Christmas everyday when you’re my baby”, how can you not wanna snuggle up with your special someone and put this track on repeat?
Cheyenne Marrs – “Santa’s Lament”
Multi-instrumentalist and songwriter Cheyenne Marrs seemed to pop-up with increasing regularity this year, finally convincing me to tune-in and see what all the chatter was about. Well, I’m sure glad I did, and encourage you to follow suit. Unbeknownst to me at the time, I actually was familiar with Cheyenne Marrs through his work with the local band Spacer, but his debut solo record Everybody Wants To Go Home is what really captured my attention. All of that is to say that Marrs’ recently released a n excellent Christmas tune that is exactly what we would hope for from the burgeoning artist.
